All dogs are 'inherently dangerous'

May 31, 2012

The simple fix for dog owners' passionate outrage over the Maryland Court of Appeals' ruling that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous" is to pass a law classifying all dogs that way ("Pit bull fight may stretch into dog days of summer," May 31).

No longer should any owner, no matter what breed or mix their dog, get one free attack or bite before the animal is considered dangerous. After all, courts do not give people one free attack on someone before declaring them dangerous.

As Dan Rodricks' commentary noted, there are approximately 4.7 million people bitten by dogs each year, resulting in 29,000 reconstructive procedures. How many assaults against people that required reconstructive surgery have been reported involving house cats, goldfish, hamsters or turtles?

It is the time to pass a law requiring all dogs to be muzzled when outside their owner's home.